The Wisconsin legislature took aim at Internet hunting at a public hearing Wednesday.

The hearing was for a bill proposed by State Rep. Scott Gunderson (R-Waterford), which would require Wisconsin hunters to be in physical possession of a weapon in order to hunt.

Currently, there is one online hunting facility in Texas, according to Michael Bruhn, spokesman for Gunderson.

Through the Texas facility's Web site, Live-shot.com, members — who pay $15 a month — can reserve a 20-minute time slot with 10 shots at paper targets on the Texas game farm for $5.95.

Members control a rifle and shoot on the range over the Internet. The member uses his or her mouse to aim and fire a real weapon set up at the facility. The range has a person there who has the same function as a guide on a regular hunt, overseeing safety, said John Lockwood, who runs Live-shot.com.

The Web site was first online in January 2004, Lockwood said. He first had the idea the previous June. Although the site is intended for hunters of all kinds, Lockwood said, he thought it would be popular with handicapped hunters.

"I definitely figured the handicapped would be the biggest group that would be interested," he said.

The bill "is to prevent something like that setting up shop here in Wisconsin," Bruhn said. "He's the first one, but with any bad idea there are going to be copycats."

Jim Blackenheim, a board member of the Wisconsin Deer Hunters Association, said his organization opposes Internet hunting.

"It's hard to even call it hunting," Blackenheim said. "Hunting has got things to do with tradition and fair chase and experiencing the outdoors, and to sit in a chair somewhere and click a button — you can't really call that hunting."

Blackenheim said his organization also opposes game farms.

The range has had paper targets for some time, and the first online live hunt as a demonstration occurred earlier this month, Lockwood said. The next hunt is scheduled for April 9.

For shooting a live animal, there is a $150 guide fee, in addition to a minimum $310 deposit for taxidermy and meat processing, according to Lockwood. A Texas hunting license is required for users.

Under current Wisconsin law, it is illegal to hunt wild deer over the Internet in the state because it would violate bagging laws, Bruhn said.

However, there are no such barriers to Internet hunting on game farms in Wisconsin.

"Nobody foresaw this years ago, or even a year ago," Bruhn said. "It's just that crazy."

Dan Trawicki, president of the Wisconsin chapter of the Safari Club International, said there are already several handicapped hunting facilities available across the United States.

"Even advocates of disabled hunting do not agree with this," Bruhn said.

Trawicki said he supports the bill.

"That's not hunting, that's killing," Trawicki said. "I don't see it ever replacing or ever becoming a major niche in the hunting industry."

Lockwood said people can have the wrong idea about the ranch.

"They need to learn more about how it's set up and who it's supposed to help," Lockwood said about his critics. "It's not a farm. It's a working ranch and we happen to hunt."

Several other states are considering a ban on Internet hunting as well.

The Virginia legislature became the first to pass a bill banning Internet hunting earlier this month.

Maine has also passed a similar measure. On Monday the West Virginia House voted to ban remote hunting. And Texas is one of the states in the process of considering an Internet ban.

The matter will likely go to a vote before the State Assembly Committee on Natural Resources Tuesday, Bruhn said.

This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on March 31 2005.